Fermenting Feed for Meat Birds

[Arielle]

Nothing like the peace of solitute . . . and communing with a chicken or a turkey.

Phones are a tool--- my kids come first-- I guess I am giving away my age. lol

 

[NotAFarm]

Originally Posted by beverly evans

Bee, you are so right on this!!

The need for "instant" satisfaction now applies to everything and I don't think it is a good thing.

Now fermented feed......that is something that needs time to "age", it can not be rushed, some seasons require more time, others, not so much......many other things could benefit from some time.....like those children mentioned above.....

 

[Beekissed]

Yep...I've lived long enough to see my own children sucked into a little black box in their hands and it's a sadness that I never wanted to experience. They aren't as bad as most but bad enough, as every time that thing makes a sound it is given attention like it's mandatory. Weird to me. I live in a land that says they enjoy their freedom but will willingly chain themselves to a black piece of plastic like it's life or death. It's like massive brain washing and I'm the only one that doesn't like Kool-Aid...which is fine, but there is no one left to talk to as their heads are all bowed down to the idol in their hand.

Even my oldest sib, in her 60s, brought hers out to a weenie roast under the stars and she and her daughter were so busy on their phones they couldn't just relax around the fire and look at the stars, enjoy good conversation and just BE. I wanted to chuck those things in the flames and set them free..but they'd just go out and buy another slave master.

 

[Chad Cool]

Do you think it would hurt to mix 6 week old chicks with 9 mounth old chickens?

 

[Beekissed]

Unless they free range all the time, be prepared for some pecking issues. You can always prepare a fenced off area that has a gap at the bottom to allow the younger birds to escape the older birds and also feed them there as well until they can fend for themselves. I mix adult birds and chicks all the time but my birds are free ranged and there isn't a lot of tension or pecking order problems because they have wide open spaces and the younger birds learn quickly to avoid the elders at meal times.

 

[RoseMarie1]

I had 2 different batches back in the spring and mine were about 2 weeks apart. What I did was have some wire in between them for a couple weeks until my other ones got some size on them and then I put them together it was like they had always been together and there were no problems because they had been seeing each other all that time. It was soooo funny because the ones on one side would sleep against the wire and the others on the other side would also sleep against it. So they are touching but with wire inbetween. Was funny to me.

 

[Beekissed]

That's kinda sweet.

Feeling any better today, Rose?

 

[RoseMarie1]

That's kinda sweet.

Feeling any better today, Rose?

yeah some Bee, thanx for asking. I just can't seem to hack this congestion!

It was sooooooo much better yesterday but then cold temps last night and I can't do the heat in the house at night time so it got pretty chilly in here. Had to get another round of meds last Monday so I'm still on those. Going to do something again today that someone told me about. Take a pot with some water in it and put a little salt, vinegar and some vicks salve. Throw a towel over your head and breath the steam coming off it as it gets hot. Said the vinegar is suppose to kill the bacteria in there or something. If the weather would stay a little on the normal side it might would help for me to get well. lol
I'll get well soon I hope!

back at cha!

 

[Beekissed]

Going to try something a little different this year and see if it works. Instead of using my heated dog dish for water in the coop this winter, I'm sitting a bucket down into it and attaching a nipple cup waterer on the side of the bucket about 1/4 the way up the bucket. Am hoping the heated dish will keep the water in the bucket warm enough to keep the nipple trigger warm enough to work and also hoping the young birds will teach the older birds a new trick on how to use the nipple cup. Will also keep the water in the dog's bucket low enough that the chickens can't get any when they perch on the sides and lean in so that they have to use the nipple cup or go thirsty. I'm tired of messy water but didn't want to get too elaborate in trying to keep it a cleaner system, so hope this works...had all the materials on hand, so nothing had to be purchased at this time.

The ice chest idea is working very well with no freezing noted even though the past 3 nights have been down in the 20s....hope it works all winter as that would be a cool thing to keep the FF in the coop all year round but not have to buy a heated bucket. Saves me $35!

 

[MEMama3]

I've been keeping mine in a wooden trough. The girls sort of chip away at it when it's frozen.